1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to fishing apparatus, and more specifically to a fishing rod holder and pivoting fishing device that, in response to a strike from a fish, automatically sets the hook by raising the fishing rod.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
Devices have been proposed by which a fishing rod may be held and the strike of a fish triggers rapid movement of the fishing rod to set the hook, thereby automatically catching a fish. Such devices are well known in the art as evidenced by the U.S. Patents to Gray, U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,286; Cross, U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,332; Coon et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,001; Gutierrez, U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,802; Zingrone, Pat. No. 5,491,923; Updike, U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,205; and Ford, U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,534.
The patent to Zingrone disclose a fishing rod holder wherein the holder is pivotally mounted to a support. The patent to Cross discloses a fishing rod holder, which swings upward to hook a fish, hingedly mounted to a support member having an adjustable trigger, a coil spring, and a visual indicator flag. The patent to Gray discloses a fish catching device that includes both audio and visual indication of that a fish has been caught. In addition, the trigger mechanism is tripped by tension placed on the fishing line. The patents to Coon et al., Gutierrez, and Updike also show line activated hook setting fishing rod holders. The patent to Ford discloses a motorized fishing jigger and hook setting device which may be coupled to an alarm that indicated activation of the hook setting mechanism.
However none of the prior art fishing devices allow for rapid removal of the fishing rod from the device in order to initiate the manual manipulation of the fishing rod required to land the fish. Nor do any of the prior art fishing devices include a easily removable battery operated sound producer and illumination device activated by a mercury bulb switch as audio and visual indicators that a fish has been hooked.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a fishing device solving the aforementioned problems is desired.